Control system for oil burners



Nov. 2 1926.

J. MERSCH CONTROL SYSTEM FOR OIL BURNERS' Filed July 15, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FJELIRE JET-IRE E dam ATTORNEY J MERSCH CONTROL SYSTEM FOR 011. BURNERS 8 Filed July 15, 19?;

flrsufizfi 57 9 I Z cm L l 5 3 mm a Z w w: mmww N f i Q i w s Tara-155:5 TiEuREE jasuaz'? :FILEUREE TJEURES ATTORNEY Patented Novo 2,. 1926.

UNETED STTES JACOB MERKBCH, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

CONTROL SYSTEM FOR OIL BUENERS.

Application filed July 15,

My invention relates to control systems for oil burners; my more particular purpose being to provide mechanism, located outside of the burner but connected therewith for enabling the operator, by manipulating a single valve or the like to apportion with exactness the relative quantities of oil and air or steam fed to the burners, and in so doing to control also the return, to the source of oil supply of such oil as is fed into the burner but not consumed.

My invention-also contemplates. the provision in a system of this general type, of a burner head carrying a burner and its in1 mediate connections, formed into a single unit so arranged as to be easily and quickly disconnected from all other parts, and easily and quickly replaced.

My invention further contemplates the provision, in a system of this general character, of an oil supply pipe, an oil return pipe and an air pipe, all connected with and controllable by a single valve, so formed and arranged as to open or close these pipes in a predetermined order of succession; and in opening them, to open the oil return pipe first, in order to provide in succession, first a free passage for the return of oil from the burner, and second a passage, more br less restricted as required, for supplying oil and air or steam to the burner.

Again, my invention contemplates the provision, in a system of this kind, of a number of pipes connected with a burner and used in connection therewith for different purposes, these parts being controllable by a, single valve so formed and arranged that by simply actuating the valve little by little, the performance of the burner can be controlled within wide limits.

Finally, my invention contemplates a number of specific improvements in control systems for oil burners, for the purpose of improving the general eificiency thereof.

This invention is associated with the in-' vention covered by my pending application,

tiled June 24., 1926, Serial No. 118.137, for

patent upon an oil burner.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a burner head and certain part-a connected therewith in ac- 1926. Serial No. 122,554.

cordance with my inventiomthe back end of the burner head being shown at the top of the figure. I

Figure 2 is a view showing the mechanism for detachably clamping the burner head and p'arts connected therewith in position, and is a section on the line 2+2 of Figure 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 3 is a view showing the controlling valve and its immediate connections, and is a section upon the line 3-3 of Figure 2, lookingin the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the mechanism, and shows the handle whereby the control mechanism is actuated.

Figure 5 is a diagram indicating the condition of the valve plug, with all of the ports controllable by it closed. Figure 6 is a diagram of the valve plug, indicating its condition as it opens certain ports for the return of oil and passage of air.

Figure 7 is adiagram indicating the condition of the valve plug, with all of the ports controllable by it wide'open.

Figure 8 is a diagram of the valve plug. in such position that the supply of air and the oil supply are turned on, the oil return being shut ofi.

Figure 9 is a diagram of the valve plug, in such condition that it closes all of the ports which it controls.

An oil burner appears at 5, and is preferably of the type described in my pen-ding application above mentioned, the location of the burner flame being indicated at the bottom of Figure l.

The burner is provided with a portion 7 of reduced diameter, this portion extending through an opening 8 in a wall 9 which is the inner wall of a furnace.

The outer wall of the furnace is shown at 10 and is provided with an opening 11.

Connected with the burner; 5 and extend ing rearwardly therefrom are tubes 12, 13, It, in this instance three in number.

The tube 12 is used for supplying air or steam to the burner; andas air is generally employed in preference to steam, ll will hereinafter designate this tube as an air tube. The tube 13 is used for supplying oil to the burner, and the tube 14 is for returning from the burner any oil ted thereto but not for the time being burned. l designate the tube 13 as the oil supply tube, and the tube 14 as the oil return tube.

The tubes 12, 13 and 1a are connected with a distributing head 15, and together therewith constitute a burner head shown es e whole in Figure 1, and which may as a unit be removed and returned or replaced by anotherburner head of the some kind but of different capacity for heating.

Mounted upon the outer face of the wall 10, a little below the opening ll and held in position by a large bolt 16, is a valve casing 17. Extending through this valve casing is revoluble valve plug 18 carrying a handle 19 whereby it may be rocked back and forth.

Three pipes 20, 21 and 22, shown more particularly in Figure 3, are connected with the lower portion of the valve casing 17, the latter being provided with ports 23, 24c and 25 with which the pipes are in communication. These three ports are arranged in a row, and are normally closed by the valve plug 18, which is provided with three ports 26 27, 28, of slightly ditl'erent sizes and shapes, and staggered in position relatively to each other sch oi these ports extends diametrically through the valve plug.

The valve casing 17 is further provided with three ports 29, 30 and. 31, in elinement with ports 23, 2 and 25., and similarly arranged in a row and normally closed by the valve plug, as indicated in Figure 3.

The port 29 communicates with an annular passage 22, and the port 31 communicstes with an annular passage 33, having a general cross diameter greater than that oil the passage 32.

A connectin block 34., having the form of a massive don le cone, is fitted into the up per portion of the valve casingli. For this purpose the portion of the valve casing in immediate contact with the connecting block is hollowed out in conical form, this portion of the valve casing and the adjacent portion of the connecting block being ground accurately to make a neat fit.

The lower portion of the distributing head 15 is similarly fitted upon the upper portion of the connecting block B ll, as may be seen from Figure 2. The net result is, that when the parts are in normal position the connecting block is sunken partly into the valve casmg 17 and partly into the distributing head 15.

The connecting block 345; is provided with two passages 35 and 36, the passage 35 servmg as an air passage and bein for this put: 7 ose in communication with t is annular panage 32, the passage 36 being used for the return of oil from the burner, and for this purpose being in oommunicetion with the annular pamage t3.

incense The connecting block 34 is further provided with a passage 37 extending axially through it and used in supplying oil to the burner. For this purpose the passage 3? communicates with the port 31.

The valve casing 17 carries a clamping ring 38 the lower portion of which is provided internally with a thread 39. The clamping ring is also provided internally with an annular rib l0, integral with it,, and so formed and arranged that with the ring in position as indicated in Figure 2, the rib e0 locks the connecting block 34 tightly against the valve casing 17 and thus prevents any movement between these parts.

The distributing head 15, though normally in engagement with the connecting block 3% as indicated in Figure 2, is not secured in position b the clamping ring 38, though extending ownwardiy thereinto; and unless otherwise held, may be readily lifted out of engagement with the connecting block.

The distributing head 15 is provided with passages 41, 42 and 4:3, which, with the parts 1n. the positions indicated in Figure 2, are in accurate registry with the passages 35, 37 and 36. The passages 41, 42 and 43 communicate respectively with other passages i l, 45 and 4&6 with which the distributing head 15 is provided. The distributing head 15 carries closure plugs 47 for closing the outer or eiaposed ends of the passages er 4:5, 4:6, as indicated in Figure For the purpose of holding the distributing head 15 in the position indicated for it in Figures 2 and 3, 1 provide u clamping bolt 48, having a head 49 and extending through a clampin head 50. Connected with this clamping head are a pair of link blllii 51, carrying bearings 52 at their lower ends acmrding to Figure 2, these hearings having the form of eyes. Engaging the bearings 52 are washers 53. "Extending through the bearings 52 and washers 53 are journal bolts 54, upon which the link bars 51; and parts carried thereby are adapted to swing. The link bars 51 are further pro-- vided with eyes 56 which engage nuts 57 and washers 58 carried by the clamping head 50, these parts being normally secured rigidly together by a pair oi bolts 55. I

With the parts thus held in position the clamping head 50 is normally rigid relatively to the linlr hers 51, these arts collectively hcving n form somewhat like that of a stirrep, and being adapted to swing down with the journal bolts 5-iscrving as centers of rotation. For this purpose the bolt 48 is loosened and thereby disenga ed from the distributing heed 15-, and t is done the clamping nod 50 and parts immediately connected therewith can he swung down wardly to the rear oil-the apparatus, or in other work to the right according to Figure ta ill) . Aathe pointer reasons This leaves the distributing head 15 resting loosely upon the connecting block Pi l. The operator can now remove the entire burner head, comprising the distributing head 15, the burner 5- andthe tubes l2, 13, ll. The operator thus has an opportunity to inspect the burner head, it need be, and lay it side for repairs. He can replace it as he to ndit, or he can substitute for it anotherburner head of the same-outer dimensions but having a dififerent heating capacity. Having done this he swings the clamping head back into the position indicated for it in Figure 4E and tightens the bolt 48, whereupon. the apparatus is ready for use.

The valve casing 17 is provided with a face 55, carrying graduations 56, as shown in Figure t.

it pointer 57, carried by the valve plug 18 and extending radially therefrom, moves over the face when the valve plug is actuated. A pair of stop pins'58, 59, limit the travel oil the-pointer 57, and in so doing limit movements of the valve plug. A graduated scale is used in association with the pointer, to define the condition of the burner as afiected by the position of the valve plug.

The valve plug has a total rocking movement or? substantially 180 degrees, or hall a complete revolution.

With the apparatus not in use, or With the burner idle and cold, the handle 19 extends vertically downward, so that the pointer 5'? rests against the stop pin 58, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1-.

'llo bring the apparatus into action the operator first turns the handle 19 in a clock Wise direction.

57 reaches the adjacent end of the graduated scale 60, the valve plug is brought into such position that its ports 26, 27 and 28 and the stationary ports 23, 2d and 25 occupy certain relative positions indicated for them in Figure 5.

As the handle 19 is moved further and further, so that the pointer 57 is correspond ingly advanced along the scale 60, the. various parts just mentioned are caused to occupy, in successive order, the various relative positions indicated by the diagrams shown in Figures t5, 7, 8 and h.

I will now describe the significance or these relative positions, or in other Words will explain how the burner is controlled by the valve plug in its dilierent positions and movements. y i

With the valve plug 18 in the position contemplat ed for it in Figure 5, the ports shown are all closed. It Will be noted, however, that the ports 26 and 28 area little nearer to the ports 23 and 25 than the port 2? is to the port 242. This means, essentially, that although the movement of the valve plug be continued a trifle further, so as to barely con-= meet the port 26 vvith the port 23 and to barely connect the port 2% with the port 25, the port 27 will not yet be connected with the port 24, as may be understood from an examination of Figure 6.

Assuming, next, that the valve plug 18 occupies the position indicated. for it in Figure 6', it is clear that air can pass through. the ports 22 and 26 to the burner head, and that the ports 28 and 25 are in condition to permit the return of oil tiierethrough from the burner head, but that as yet no oil can pass through the valve plug 18 to the burner head.

The purpose of this arrangement is to prevent the clogging of oil Within the burner. In this connection it may be noted that if oil is allowed to stand for any appreciable time in a burner While the latter is heated, the oil becomes called, solidified or thickened. I seek to reve'nt the oil from dwelling too long Within the burner or any part of the burner head. It is upon this account that I make provision for the air to actually reach the burner, and for any oil contained Within the burner or its immediate connections to return therefrom to the source of oil supply, before. any more oil is allowed to reach the burner. In other words I seek to clean out the burner and all parts immediately connected therewith and also to have air flowing freely through the burner by a blast of air before turning on any oil to reach the burner. This is done each time the burner is started into action. turned on and actually reaches the burner,

any surplusage of oil, over and above the quantity which is easily and readily consinned by action of the burner, has a free path out of the burner and back to the source of oil supply; and as above indicated, air is passing freely through the burner before t e oil enters. Thus no oil vcan remain in the burner for any appreciable time, being either carried out or rc turned to the source of oil supply, as the case may be.

T he path pursued by the air fed into the burner may be traced as follows:' air pipe 20 (see bottom of Figure 3), ports 23, 2G 1 and 29, annular passage 32, passage 35oF connecting block 34: (see Figure 2), passages t1 and ll of distributinghead 15, air tube 12 to burner 5, and thence out into the fi'arne 6, indicated at the bottom of ure 1.

The path followed by the oil returning from the burner may be traced as follows: burner 5, oil return tube 14 to distributing head 15, passages 46 and 43 (see Figure 2f) of distributing'head 15, passage 36 through connectingblock 34L, annular passage 33 of valve casing 17, port 31 ot this valve casing (see Figure 3'), port 28 of valve plug; 18, port 25 of valve casing 17 to oil return It follows that when the oil is W pipe 22, and thence to the source of oil sup ply, not shown.

Assume next, that the valve plug 18 is turned a slight distance further, so as to bring its ports into position relatively to the ports 23, 24, 25, of the valve casing, as indicated in Figure 7. The paths pursued by the air fed into the burner and by the oil returning therefrom will remain as just described; and in addition, oil can now pass through the ports 24 and 27 so as to reach the burner, through a path which may be traced as follows: oil pipe 21 (see Figure 3), port 2 1 of valve casing, port 27 of valve plug and port of valve casing to connecting block 34, through assage 37 of the connecting block to the distributing head 15, passages 42 and of distributing head to oil supply tube 13, and thence to the burner 5. Under ordinary working conditions a portion of the oil supplied through the burner is consumed, the surplus oil being returned rapidly, so that no undue heating of the oil can take place within the burner. Y

The valve plug 18 being a little further.

in the same direction, its ports are brought into the relation contemplated by Figure 8, relatively to the fixed ports of the valve casing. As may be understood from an examination of Figure 8, the port 26 is now in registry with the port 23, the port 27 is in registry with the port 24:, but the port 28 is out of registry with the port 25. This means that the air is turned on, the oil sup,- ply is turned on, but the oil return supply is still shut off. It follows that the tube 14. shown in Figure 1. is for the time being out of action, so that the system as a whole acts simply as a. burner supplied with oil and having an air feed, substantially in the usual manner. 2

Turning the valve plug 18 still further in the same direction, the various ports-carried by it are moved out of registry with the ports 23, 24: and 25 and other ports in the valve casing, as indicated in Figure 9. Further movement of the valve plug 18 in the same direction has no material effect, the system remaining idle even if the valve plug be moved to the limit of its travel, that is, until the pointer 57 lodges against the stop pin 59. This occurs when the handle extends vertically upward from the valve plug, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 4.

It will be understood, of course, that as the pointer 57 passes along the graduations it indicates to the operator the condition of the system, as governed by the various positions of the valve plug 18. Such being the case, the operator can tell at a glance just how far he should move the handle 19 in order to operate the burner in any one of its various positions as above described.

reoaaeo Suppose, next, that the handle 19 is at the limit of its travel in one direction and thus extends vertically upward, the pointer 57 being lodged against the stop pin 59, as indicated in Figure 4.

The operator, by grasping the handle 19 and turning it backwardly or in a counter clockwise direction according to Figure 4, can bring about, in reverse order, the various conditions of operation of the burner as above described, as associated with the diagrams shown in Figures 5 to 9 inclusive. This feature of my invention is particularly useful in instances where, for any reason, where the burner is to be operated mainly or largely without the use of an oil return. For operating the burner in this manner it is not necessar to use more than two positions of the val ve plug, represented by Figures 8 and 9 respectively.

By takin off the distributing head 15 and removing the clamping ring 38 as above described, the connecting block 34 is disengaged from its fastenings, and thus may be removed for purposes of inspection and repair. In replacing the connecting block the operator may, if he chooses, turn it half way around on its vertical axis, so as to bring the passage 36 into registry with passage 41, and the passage 35 into registry with the passage 43. This done, and the distributing read 15 being 1' placed in ppsition, the system as a whole will act as efore, with the exception that the air tube 12 will now function as an oil return tube, the oil return tube 14 will function as an air tube, and various other parts will function accordingly.

I do not deem it necessary to describe the burner 5 any further than to say that it may be any burner to which both oil and air are fed by pipes and from which any excess of oil entering the burner and remaining unburned is returned.

The operation of my system is as follows:

The various parts being assembled and arranged as above described, the apparatus is ready for use.

Whenever the operator wishes to remove the burner head, he simply loosens the bolt 48 and swings the clamping head 50 rearwardly and downwardly as above described. This leaves the burner head loose and he lifts it off, say for purposes of inspection and repair. He thereafter replaces the burner head or substitutes another one for it as above described, swings the clamping head 50 back into position. and tightens the bolt &8.

By graspin the'handle 19 and turning itback and fort the various conditions of o eration above described with reference to t e diagrams appearing in Figures 5 to 9 are brought about.

Ido not limit myself to the particular mechanism shown, as variations may be p made therein without departing from my invention, the scope of which is commensurate with my claims.

I claim:

1. In a system of the character described the combination of an air pipe, an oil supply pipe and an oil return pipe, a connectin member to which all of said pipes lead, a burner head provided with a burner and further provided with a plurality of separate connections, one for each pipe, for the purpose of bringing said burner into communication with said pipes when said burner head is in engagement with said connecting member, and mechanism controllable by the operator for detachably securing said burner head to said connecting member.

2. In a system of the character described the combination, with an air pipe, an oil supply pipe, an oil return pipe and a connecting block communicating with all of said pipes, of a burner, a distributing head and a plurality of tubes; one for each of said pipes, all extending from said distributing head to said burner so as to establish communication therebetween and to form therewith a burner head, and mechanism controllable by the operator for detachably connecting said burner head with said connecting block.

3. In a system of the kind described the.

combination of a plurality of pipes, a casing connected with said pipes and provided with ports communicating therewith, a connecting block provided with passages mating the ports of said casing, means for detachably securing said connecting block upon said casing, and a burner head carrying a burner and provided with a portion for engaging said connecting block, said burner head being further provided with a plurality of tubular members equal to the number of passages of said connecting block and in communication with said passages, in order to dividually to said burner. y

4. The combination of a casing provided with ports, pipes connected with sald casing and communicating with said necting block fitted to said casingand provided with passages mating the ports thereestablish communication from said pipes inof, a distributing head fitted upon said con necting block and provided with passages mating the passages of said connecting block, clampin mechanism controllable by the o orator or detachably securing said distri utin head upon said connecting block, am? burner mechanism connected with said distributing head and communicating with said passages thereof.

5. The combination of a casing provided combination of an air pipe,

orts, a 0011 with ports, pipes connected with said casing and communicatin with said ports, a connecting block fitte to said casing and provided with passages mating the ports thereof, a distributing head fitted upon said con necting block and provided with passages mating the passages thereof, and a clamping head carried by said casing and provided with means for detachably holding-said distributin head in engagement with said connecting lock.

6. In a system of the kind described the an oil supply pipe and an oil return pipe, a valve casing connected with all of said pipes and provided with ports communicating therewith, a burner, connections from said valve casing to said burner, and a valve member carried by said valve casing and provided with ports, one for each pipe, said valve member being movable to bring its ports into and out of registry with the ports of said casing and thus to control communication from said pipes to said burner, the ports of said valve member being so positioned relative- 1y to the ports of said valve casing that by I the movement of said valve member in one direction of its travel it opens communication from the valve member to the oil return pipe before opening communication from the burner to the oil pipe and the oil supply pipe.

In a'system of the character described the combination of an air pipe, an oil supply pipe and an oil return pipe, a burner, a separate connection extending from each of said pipes to said burner,

control mechanism included in said connections an'd'controllable by the operator for opening communication between said burner and each of said pipes.

8. In a system of the character described the combination of-an air pipe, an oil sup ply pipe and an oil return ipe, a burner, connections from all of sai pipes to said burner, and a single control valve included in said connections for controlling communication from each of said pipes to said burner.

9. In a system of the character described the combination" of an air pipe, an oil supply plpe and an oil return pipe, a burner, connections from said pipes to said burner, and a single control valve included in said connections for controlling the same, so as to adapt the system for use as a two-pipe system or as a three-pipe system.

Signed at New York city, in the county of ilevg York and State of New York, July,

JACOB anson.

and a single 

